Wii's Retail Price Expected To Drop Before Release of Wii 2

Several US retailers have lowered the price of the Nintendo Wii console to about $170 each.

According to a recent report, this change is likely to be followed by a decrease in the official price in the coming weeks.

Over the past few days, the market has been filled with rumors about an upcoming price cut for the Wii console as a part of the company's strategy to promote its brand before launching Wii’s successor the Wii 2. Although anticipation is high, there is still not a great deal of information available about the Wii 2.

According to these rumors, the Wii console, after its supposed price reduction (expected to take effect around May 15) will be selling on the US market for $150, a quarter less than its current official retail value $199.99.

Sales figures for the Nintendo Wii have started to decline, presumably because of its inability to deliver high-definition video games. The key advantage of the motion sensor based gaming platform has been largely nullified by its rivals Sony and Microsoft following the release of their own motion sensing devices.

But with price cuts and a new console nearly ready, its probably not wise to count one of the oldest gaming companies out of the market completely.